Alarm or signaling apparatus.



S. SCDGNAMILLO.

ALARM 0R SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16.-1912 N Ch feo

rarnnr -raices.,

SALVATORE SCOGNAMILLQ, OF NEWYORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE SALVINI ELEG- `'11`\,I(.1.^1L HORN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, `N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ALARM OR SIGNALVING APPARATUS.

:i ,cesena Specification of Letters Patent.

ratenteaauly 29,1913.

Application filed April 16, 1912. Serial No. 691,258.

To all whomzft may concern Be it known that l, SALVATORE SCOGNA- Mirino, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,y have invented new and useful improvements in Alarm or Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a horn, alarm or signal of the mechanically operated type and adapted for use on automobiles, motor boats and the like, and the invention comprehends the production of a sound producing or acoustic apparatus which is effectively operative to give forth a warning signal of great carrying power and 'of a positive character.

With these. and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

l1n the drawing one practical embodiment ot' the invention is illustrated, and therein Figure 1 is a sectional eleva-tion of a horn or signal apparatus embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through a centrifugal agitator which coperates with the dia-l phragm and constituting one of the fea-tures ofthe invention.v Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the agitator. Fig. 4 is a detail View of one ot' the dogs or pawls of the agitator and a portion of the retractile spring theretor. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a cam or controlling the oscillation or movement ot the centrifugal agitator toward and away from the diaphragm and also for correspondingly moving the motor. Fig. 6 is detailhorizontal section through a portion of the dia-` at the center thereof.

The numeral 5 designatespa casing formed of suitable sheet metal or cast metal, as may phragm showing the shape of the projection be desired, and of such generalshape or below the same, the upper 4portion of the saidshaft projecting through a bearing 11 carried by a bracket arm 12 extendingv from the top of the frame 7, and at the lower end of saidshaft is a ball 13 movably disposed in a socket cup or member 14 screwed on a sleeve 15 depending from' the horizontal member of the bracket arm 16 sedured to or forming part of the lower portion of the motor frame 7. The object in providing the `ball 13 and socket member 14 is to allow the shaft 10 freedom of action and to antifrictionally support the same at thelower end, and in practice oil will be introduced in the socket member 14 to lubricate the lower end of the shaft.

' The specilic form of motor disclosed in the drawing may be modified or .any other type of electric motor may be used, but in all forms of motors that may be adopted the rocking or oscillating movement will be imparted thereto during the actuation of the signal or acoustic apparatus.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 10 is a controlling cam 17 of the form shown' by Fig. 5 and having a single drop. 18. Secured at one terminal to the bracket arm 12 is a spring 19 which surrounds the bearing 11 and the hub of the cam 17 and is attached at its opposite terminal to the said cam. Though the cam 17 is loose on the shaft 10, the tension of the spring 19 exerted thereon is such that a sutcient frictional contact will be set up between the cam and sha-ft to rotate the said cam and at the same time wind the spring and when the-current is cut olf the cam will be rotated in a direction reverse tothe rotation thereoil by the shaft. The cam 17 engages a roller 20 .held in the lower forked end 21 of an arm 22 pivoted at its upperY end as at 23 for .the purpose of adjusting the same, an adjustingscrew 2-1 extending'through therear portionot the casing and engagingthe back of the arm or lever 22. By adjusting the, arm or leverV 22 the throwing or oscillating action of the cam 1.7'may be regulated at will to take' up wear or to modify the sound' emitted from the signal or alarm.

On the upper end of the shaft 10 a centrifugal agitator 25 is fixed and is preferably of the form shown by Fig. 2 and has a circumferential channel 26 and an upper 5 chamber or recess 27, the Wall 28 between the channel 26 and the chamber or recess ,han innr perforated as at 29 at regular intervals for a purpose which will beY presently explained. Movably disposed in the channel 2G is a plurality of dogs or pawls 30, each of which is piryoted at one end as at 31 and to the inner portion of the opposite end a spring 32 is attached and extends through the adjacent openime,r 29 in the Wall 28 and connected at its inner end to a ring 33 on the upper end of the shaft 10. The dogs or pawls 30 are allsimilarly mounted, as shown Y hy Fig. 3, and are preferably of the shape shown or increase in Width 'from their pivotal points toward the extremities to which the springs 32 are attached. When the shaft is rapidly rotated by the motor the dogs or pawls are centritugally thrown.

outwardly from the channel 26 againstthe resistance of the springs 32, the said springs always tending' to draw the dogs or pawls inwardly into the channel.

ln. the frontupper portion of the casing a suitable diaphragm 34 is mounted and has a projection 35 at the center thereof, said projection heing preferably or"- Wedge shape and so disposed that it will lie horizontally rela tively to the centrifugal cont-roller 25 which coacts therewith to set up a rapid vibration of the diaphragm. ln advance of the dia- ;ihragm a suitable resonator 36 isapplied over a sound emitting opening 37 in the front of the casing.

lt will he understood that the current for operating the motor may he taken from any .suitable generating source and connected up as shown by the lower portion of Fig. l, as-

will he readily understood.

From the lioifergointzA the operation of the signal or alarm will he readily understood.

"he current entering' the motor Will set up an actuation of the armature 9 and the shaft l0 and consequently the centrifugal agitator 25 will be rapidly rotated, thereby musing the dogs or pau'ls 30 to liy outwarlllyagainst the resistance of the springs 32 and successively contact with and sweep over the wedge-shaped projection fj'secured to the ccmcigot the diaphragm 34. The

:5 Vvednc--shaiicfl projection is so arranged i relatively to the direction of rotation of the centrifugal agitator that the narrowerportion ot each dos' or pau'l 3() will first come over the reduced extremity of the said e0 projection 35. andl the flexing or vihration'of the fliaihraamhv each doggr or pawl will be gradual lo t (log or pan'l, and the return movement of the diaphragm or its tendency to resume normal condition Will ensue immediately afhe maximum projectiffn of each e' ter the maximum projecting portion of each dog or pawl has cleared the corresponding projecting portion of the projection 25 on 4the diaphragm. During this operation of the centrifugal agitator the cam 17 causes 'the shaft 10, together with the frame 7 and the motor as a whole, to oscllate or rock, the maximum oscillation being eected vwhen the roller 20 bears on the' cam periphery adjacent to the shoulder 18, and as soon as the cam reverses y"its movement through the action of the sprimgr 19 the shaft l0 and frame 7 `together with the motor are permitted to oscillate in the opposite direction and at the same time the spring 19 restores the cam to its normal position and ready for effelctinzgfl an oscillation of the centrifugal agitator to- Ward the diaphragm. By engaging one end of the spring with the non-rotatable part of the device and securing the opposite cud oic the spring to the cam 17, the rapid rotation of the shaft Will set up a Winding action relatively to the. spring 19 through the cam, which by a slight frictional engagement will loe caused to rotate with the shaft of thc motor, despite the fact that the said cam is normally loose on the shaft and the winding,y action of the springy Will be increased gradually as the cam rotates when a more firm binding' action is set up with the shaft hy' the cam through'the medium of the roller acting as a point of resistance on the radially varying edge in contact with the roller and the shaft is pressed over toward the diaphragm to a degree proportionate to thev radial increase of the edge of the cam and until it reaches its maximum pressure point, which will be at a time When the roller reaches the highest part of the cam slightly in rear of the shoulder' or drop 18, the roller never passing' over behind the shoulder or drop as a release is effected.l for instance by the operator breaking the cir cuit through the ordinal"T circuit making, mean)- or button, and the moment the circuit is broken the movement of the cam is reversed through the action of the Wound A spring and the cam restored to its normal position. By this means the pressure of the diaphragm displacing means relatively' to the diaphragm is gradually modified with material advantage in the tone emitted from the alarm or signaling' apparatus. It Will be understood that when the ,cam is released as inst explained, the motor and its shaft will move in the opposite direction or the shaft will swing away from the diaphragm through the effort of the motor to seek its equilibrium or normal position. This oscillating movement is r gularly carried on and the pressure of the ons or'paWls 30 on the projection 35 of the diaphragm is modified and the sound emitted from the alarm or signal is correspondingly varied. llVear on the dogs or pawls 30 and the projection in 'sonic instances the springs 32 may be of greater resistance than in other structures and as a consequence when the dogs come 1n contact. with the projection 35 on the diaphragm theynvill more forcefully vibrate thediaphragm.v

4From the foregoing it will be understood that the .essential feature of the invent-ion consists inthe oscillation of the motor shaft carrying the means for engaging the diapli'agni to vibrate the latter, and while a preferred means for setting up a vibration has been shown, it will be understood that any equivalent device may be adopted. .Moreoveig the cam. 17 coperating with the roller 20 has been found to be very'eiiicient in oscillating the shaft carrying the diaphragm vibrating means, but itivill be understood that this cam and roller might be replaced b v anyV other device or devices having a similar function.

' What is claimed is:

l. In an' alarm or signaling apparatus'. al

l vices toward and from the diaphragm and varying the pressure thereof on the latter.

2. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator and a diaphragm, in combination with rotary diaphragm displacing means', and an oscillating motor for swinging said 'displacing .means toward and from the dia- 3. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator and a diaphragm, a rotary shaft having displacing vmeans thereon coperating with the .diaphragm and an oscillating motor for swinging the shaft and displacing means.

4.' In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a

resonator and a diaphragm therefor, in coin-l ling individually movable members u'liich successively engage the diaphragm, said displacing means nioi'ahlc ltoward and away from the diaphragm during the rotation` of said means.

.7. ln an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator, a diaphragm, and an oscillatalile motor having a similarly movable sha ft provided with displacing iiicaiis for thc diaphragni,l the oscillation of said displacing means being toward and from the diapliragni.

8. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator, a diaphragm, and a displacing means having a swinging .movement toward and aiyay from the diaphragm and provided with a plurality of spring-actuated individually movable members to engagethe diaphragm.

,9. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator, a diaphragm, and a rotary centrifugally operating displacing means' comprising a plurality of displacing vmembers 'to successively engage the diaphragm, and means for alternately oscillatingV said displacing means toward and from the diaphragm.

10. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator, a diaphragm, an oscillating shaft, a diaphragm displacing means `carried by said shaft and having a plurality of movable members centrifugally actuated to engage the y diaphragm and provided with 'coiinteracting springs, and means for moving the displacing means toward and away g from the diaphragm.

l1. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator, a diaphragm, and swinging diaphragm displacing means and operating mechanism, the displacing means being provided With a plurality ot' movable members.

19.. In an alarm or signaling a paratiis, a resonator, a diaphragm, and a diisplacing means for the diaphragm having operating mechanism which with the said means has oscillating movement, the displacing means having a plurality of spring-controlled movable members.

13. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator, a diaphragm therefor, a' motor having a' shaft carrying a diaphragm displacing means, and a cam for oscillating tlie shaft, motor and displacing means.

let. In an alarm` or signaling apparatus, a.

resonator, a diaphragm therefor, an oscillatable motor having a shaft extending therefrom, a diaphragm displacing means cari'iedby the shaft, a cam cooperating with iso erally projectable 'therein-om, a resonator, and a diaphragm with which said agitator cooperates.

16. ln an alarm or signaling apparatus, a

resonator, a diaphragm therefor. an (meil- Y latable motor having a shaft. a diaphragm displacing means carried by the said shaft, a-'cam loose on the lallait, a spring engaging the cam to set up frictional Contact with the Shaft and to ret'urn the cam t'o normal positron, and means engaged by the cam to cooperate with the latter in effecting the oscillation ofthe shaft and moor relatively to the diaphragm. y

17. In an alarm or signaling apparatus, a resonator, a diaphragm therefor, and a swinging motor having rotatable diaphragm displacing means carried thereby.

Loews@ 18. In an alarm` or signaling apparatus,

a ref-.onal"ori a diaphragm having a Wedgeand receding movements relatively to the (liaphragn'l.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SA LVATORE SCOGNAMILLO.

' Witnesses:

(HL-as. S. HYER, CMAS. A. ROWE. 

